


abandon my ship to the mercy of the waves

by lucitae



Category: NU'EST
Genre: M/M, lapslock, mythology AU, siren au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:48:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22097407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucitae/pseuds/lucitae
Summary: aron meets dongho where the waves break.
Relationships: Kang Dongho | Baekho/Aaron Kwak | Aron
Comments: 5
Kudos: 31





	abandon my ship to the mercy of the waves

**Author's Note:**

> originally started on [twitter](https://twitter.com/dulcetfairytale/status/1212969729435942913?s=21).
> 
> highly self indulgent.
> 
> updated title for better reflection

> a mermaid found a swimming lad,  
> picked him up for her own,  
> pressed her body to his body,  
> laughed; and plunging down  
> forgot in cruel happiness  
> that even lovers drown.

— william butler yeats

 _  
look at yourself in the mirror. who would ever love you?_ is the line that shaped dongho’s childhood.

he’s an anomaly. a siren of the wrong sex. bound to the coast of jeju-do where his brethren hunts. male sirens are weak. picked off easily.

for sirens: their silences are stronger than their song. it is the pause that holds the spell. for dongho: silence is when it breaks. when his victim realizes that what had enticed him to this rock was nothing but an illusion. when fear, horror, and disgust take turns in eyes.

so dongho trained, made sure his song was more powerful than his brethren. the men, too intoxicated by promises sung, would flock to him. clutching his ankles until he could plunge them into their watery graves. too late to realize their demise.

aron is a traveler. heard some odd rumors about the incidents on jeju-do. things that sounded to absurd to be chalked up to bad weather.

aron arrives at the end of summer when most tourists have drifted back to where they came from. when the wind foreshadows how cold they can be. when the leaves are beginning to transition: losing their vibrant green. aron prefers the muted colors anyway. how it helps the rare few oranges and gold pop.

he walks along the beach. the sand shifting under his weight. the waves kissing the shore in their constant dance. aron looks behind him, the prints he’s left behind, and wonders what could possibly haunt such a paradise.

he overhears two elderly women chatting as they debride their catch.

“it’s happening again,” the younger one says, glancing around in fear.

the one with gorgeous silver hair and weathered skin merely shrugs as she deftly shells another oyster.

“it happens all year round,” she finally says when she notices the younger one is refusing to work until she gets a reply.

“but not this frequent,” the younger one insists, “and not tourists.”

the older woman ignores her, trying to get the task done before the sun sets.

“what if this gets out?”

the older women glares. “men die at sea all the time.”

“what if our protectors get caught?”

“then we, the haenyeo, will take the fall. as we always do,” the elderly woman states.

before the other has time to protest, she reminds: “don’t forget the pact.”

“but that was over hundreds of years ago, unnie!”

followed quickly by: “how can you not be bitter when they took your husband?”

the elderly woman stabs her knife into the nearest catch. the sea urchin cracks into two.

“good riddance. i’m better off without him,” she spits.

“their songs only entice men who aren’t loyal.”

and with that she ends the conversation.

aron looks out into the open sea. the water is clear, catching the sunlight and sparkling. the sands are almost a pristine white.

it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what is haunting this beautiful island.

aron runs his hand along his bow. the etching reminds him of who he is every time. the arrows within the quiver have been dipped in hydra blood — a parting gift by a close friend.

he hopes he doesn’t have to use it tonight. but straps a dagger to thigh as a safety measurement.

the moon illuminates the clouds, casting an eerie look to the night. the wisps cloud stars from view. the usual speckled canvas obscured.

the water reflects the scene overhead, interrupting it with ripples. above the sound of waves crashing into the cliffs is a song.

aron is too far away to make out the words. but the melody renders him speechless. emotions woven into each note that carries into the night sky.

sorrow. desperation. heartbreak.

tugging at aron’s heart strings.

how powerful must the siren be?  
( how deep their pain? )

part of aron yearns to swim out into the tumultuous depths in search for the owner of the voice.

the veteran in aron places the ear wax into both ears to block out the magic in the song.

he gets into the motorboat and speeds off towards the source.

dongho’s lips twist as he spots a motorboat make a beeline for the rock he sits on. yet another man yearning to ditch their partner and sink into youthful flesh.

disgusting.

he weaves more images into his songs. images stolen from past prey. the ones that justify everything.

aron docks the boat close to the figure on the rock and decides to swim the short distance. as he gets closer he’s surprised. a male siren? their existence was never documented. but so are male dryads.

his skin smooth, glistening under the moonlight as if it was made of pearls. hair dark, curls falling into his face, a contrast that draws eyes to his lips. ( pink, full, the type his half sisters wished they had ) broad shoulders — aron can only imagine what his back looks like.

the thought gets interrupted the moment his hand touches the rock.

a strong pair of hands reach out, closing around aron’s neck, and squeezes.

all men are trash. not one dongho met has been decent. being a little better than his brethren means nothing at all.

he chokes the new victim without mercy and stops his song, waiting for the realization to settle in. tongue licking lips as he wonders how this one will taste.

one bite is all it takes. dongho only devours the ones that taste pleasant. the rest he tosses to his bullies. an act of kindness. an act of how despite what he is, in the end he is far more superior than what they were born with.

the man’s eyes aren’t murky, unlike his usual victims who have been enticed by his song. they are clear. reflecting the moon above.

none of the emotions dongho is used to seeing is found.

instead the man utters a “you’re beautiful” with the last of his breath.

aron stares into eyes he can’t begin to describe. light shade of brown seems inadequate to describe how mesmerizing they are. amber isn’t quite right. honey isn’t it either. liquid gold is far off.

he doesn’t mind this being the last thing he sees before he dies.

two words are wrenched from his soul. two words he believes in deeply.

dongho freezes for a moment before clutching the man and plunging into the waters as turbulent as his heart.

( for those eyes were not only clear. but full of something he has never seen. something he can only describe as soft. )

as aron falls into his watery grave, a poem comes to mind.

he laughs, bubbles rising from his mouth. his dear poetry loving friend would be proud.

dongho watches as the man’s eyes close, the last of his air escaping from his lungs. soon they will be filled by salt water. soon he will end like the rest.

this warmth in his arms will be no more.

so dongho does what he has done for hundreds of times: he presses their lips together.

usually this is where he savors the tongue for his final decision.

this time, he thinks of unwavering eyes. watches the bubbles rise to the surface. and breathes life back into the man.

he tells himself this is the first and the last time he goes against his identity.

he brings the man to the surface and makes sure he washes ashore.

he dives back deep into sea.

who knew lips could be soft?  
who knew one could taste so sweet?

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by this [photo](https://twitter.com/nuwest_nueast/status/1212981520207499264?s=21) (and every single shot of baekho's [eyes](https://twitter.com/donghoyuyu/status/1212955365089824768?s=21))


End file.
